


The Hangover Cure

by sainnis



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alphonse Elric And Cats, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drunkenness, Hurt/Comfort, Lust at First Sight, M/M, POV Alternating, Praise Kink, surprisingly soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:54:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sainnis/pseuds/sainnis
Summary: One-shot frat!AU written as a holiday gift for @nyagosstar.When Amestris University frat Phi Tau Pi moves in to the enormous house next to the Elric's dilapidated cottage, Ed gives his rowdy new neighbors a piece of his mind.Unfortunately for Ed, the frat president is ridiculously hot. Hot enough to make Ed rethink his position on parties. And alcohol. And maybe even frat boys.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang, Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes
Comments: 16
Kudos: 190





	The Hangover Cure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nyagosstar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyagosstar/gifts).



> Not a Fellowes Mews fic! Ed and Roy have cell phones and there are no assassination attempts. Al and Hughes, however, are BAMFs as usual.

**_Roy_ **

Someone was calling his name over the thump of the speakers. “Roy!”

Roy tipped his chin back as he took a swallow of beer. It wasn’t the cheap stuff; he made sure to keep some local microbrews on hand for the house and out of the palms of the masses. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Hughes raked his fingers through his shaggy, dark hair. He had a day’s worth of stubble grown in and a faint smear of lipstick on the edge of his jaw. Gracia must have arrived. “You have a minute for business?”

“For you, always.” Roy pushed himself up from the lawn chair, surveying the crowd. There were definitely more people here this year than last. 

Leading them away from the din, Hughes cleaned his glasses on the hem of his dark blue t-shirt. “So there’s this guy. Normally we’d just move him along, but I recognized the name from your spreadsheet. One of the new ones.”

“What’s the name?”

“Elric.”

“Oh. Right.” Roy knew every name on that list, knew every subject they were writing papers for. “He’s a first year. Smart kid.” Roy frowned. “What does he want?”

“I don’t know. He’s really insistent. Not sure why he thought coming to talk to you during tonight’s festivities would be a good idea.” Hughes bumped Roy’s shoulder with his own. “I’ll go with you.”

Roy laughed. Hughes’ overprotective streak was a mile wide, but there was something so charming about it that Roy let it go. “Sure. Where is he?”

“He’s on the front porch. Havoc’s on duty tonight.”

Roy could smell Havoc’s cigarette before they arrived on the wraparound porch of Phi Tau Pi house. “Yo, boss,” Havoc said, his legs kicked out between two chairs. “Got a live one.”

Frowning, Roy took another drink. Usually his writers wanted a little more anonymity and he was surprised one would show up at a party demanding a meeting. He turned the corner and underneath the porchlight, he saw a flash of gold and silver. A short blonde pointed an automail finger in Havoc’s face, grunting sharp words that Roy couldn’t quite hear. The guy spun, pinning his gaze on Roy and his scowl deepened. 

This wasn’t the Elric he’d expected. Armstrong had met with the kid and Roy had read his file. This one wasn’t Al, an affable, studious first-year who wanted to make money under the table writing A&P labs and biochem papers. 

This one looked feral. 

Also, fucking hot.

“You. Mustang.” Angry Elric said. “You’re in charge here, is that right?”

Roy, caught off guard, said, “Um. Yes?” He steadied himself with a breath, huffing a laugh. “What are you, the littlest cop in Amestris?”

“Fuck you.” Angry Elric crossed his arms over his chest. A red hoodie was tied around his slim waist and he wore a tight black sleeveless shirt, revealing a high-end automail arm and shoulder that bolted into his skin under the collarbone. His other arm, like the rest of him, was well-muscled and lithe. He blew a lock of light hair out of his eyes. “This is the third goddamn party this week.”

Roy pursed his lips. “It’s midterms, man.”

“Yeah. And some of us aren’t rich assholes who can sail through on letters, okay? Turn the fucking music down. Just because your garbage frat bought this house doesn’t mean this neighborhood belongs to you.”

Ah. There was only one house adjoining the frat property line, a small, run-down cottage that had once belonged to the college for professors to live in. He hadn’t even realized anyone was living there right now. In their old house, they’d made sure to provide incentives to keep the neighbors from complaining; he made a mental note to do something about that. “Listen.” Roy reached down, digging through the ice in a small cooler next to Havoc’s seat. “You need to calm down. Have a beer on me.” He held out the microbrew.

“I don’t want a beer.” Angry Elric kept his arms crossed. He wore his hair in a thick braid that peeked over his shoulder. It looked surprisingly soft. “My brother’s trying to study. This is really shitty of you.”

“It’s Friday night. You and your brother deserve a break,” Roy said, shrugging. “Go get him and bring him over.” Hughes gave him an odd look and Roy ignored it. 

“How about instead fuck you, and fuck both members of your fan club?” Angry Elric gave him two middle fingers, one metal, one flesh, and he grumbled to himself as he stalked off their front porch, giving Roy a view of his incredibly fine ass before he stepped out of the porchlight halo and into the darkness.

**_Ed_ **

Ed slammed the front door behind him and it let out a pathetic groan. God, he needed to be more careful. This place wasn’t in great shape and he couldn’t afford to fix a broken door, let alone the leaky faucets or the dripping roof. The house had belonged to his father’s family, fuck him too, and had ended up in Ed’s name before his dad had been exiled. If they’d been in any other position, he would have set the deed on fire and moved in a residence hall, but his and Al’s scholarships only covered tuition. At least they didn’t have to pay rent here. 

Al appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, one earbud in and the other dangling over his shoulder. “Where’d you go?”

Ed scrubbed a hand over his face. “To give the neighbors a piece of my mind.”

“Ed.” Al’s expression softened and Ed felt a pang reverberate in his chest. He looked so well, aside from the slightly dark circles under his eyes from late-night studying, and Ed didn’t even resent him for gaining inches over him over the past few years. After everything Al had been through, the coma, the surgeries repairing what seemed like his entire body, he was healed and whole. There were times it took everything in Ed not to rush over to Al and just crush him in a hug. He’d come so close to losing him and just seeing him sleepy-eyed in pajamas from too many hours of studying made Ed’s heart clench. “Everything’s fine. People have parties.”

“They’re a frat,” Ed spat. “I’d rather live next to a landfill.”

“Kinda judgy, brother,” Al said, patting Ed’s shoulder as he passed by on his way to the fridge, digging out a seltzer water.

Ed leaned against the counter, flicking at the slow drip of the faucet. He knew he could fix it with a little money and time, but he was short on both right now with eighteen credits and a part-time job. “Oh no, I’d hate to offend their classist, toxic sensibilities.” 

“They’re not that bad, honestly.” 

Mustang’s face appeared in Ed’s mind, his dark hair, his strong jaw. The slight twitch of his lips as he tried not to smile his ridiculous smile. The dude was hot, no question, but he forced the image out of his brain. Hot with one brain cell. Not to mention an asshole. And rude as all hell. He hated his stupid beautiful face.

_The littlest cop in Amestris._

Fuck him. 

One of their cats, Meringue, jumped up on the counter and bumped her head against Ed’s automail hand. He nuzzled against her forehead, scratching around her ears. 

Cats were so easy. People, except Al, were the worst.

“Don’t worry about the noise, okay?” Al said. “I have earplugs. It’s not a big deal. Don’t start something with them. It’s not worth it.”

“I just hate people that think they can do whatever they want. Like nothing they do affects anyone but themselves.”

Al gave a soft laugh and softened it with a kind smile. “We all think that, Ed.” 

Ed stuck out his tongue. “Whatever.” He looked around the doorframe into the study room where Al had been working. Books and papers were scattered everywhere and Al’s laptop was open to a document. “You have a paper? I thought all you had were tests coming up.”

Al shook his head. “Yeah, they threw one in at the last minute.” He brightened for a moment. “Oh! I almost forgot. You should call the repair company this week.” Ed’s phone dinged and he looked down to see a payment added to their shared account. 

“What? Where did you get this?”

“I got a new job tutoring in the neighborhood. They’re paying way more than the campus center.”

“Shit, Al, that’s amazing!” Ed squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “You sure you want to spend this on the house?”

“It’s going to get colder soon and the heat here sucks. Your automail will make you miserable.” Al wasn’t wrong; the cold did make his automail joints stiff and the skin around them red and irritated. “And don’t just say you’ll fix it yourself. I know you can, Ed, but you don’t have the right tools and you should be spending your time on classes.”

Ed pressed his hands over his eyes. “I know you’re right.” He nodded. “Okay. I’ll call them.” A cacophony of screams erupted from the backyard, followed by the sound of explosions, like fireworks. “God, are those shitheads going to be like that all year?”

Al handed Ed a pair of earplugs. “Just use these. You’ll be fine.”

Ed grunted. “Maybe they’ll blow the house up and have to move.”

“They’re not idiots. They just like to party.”

“Are you,” Ed scoffed, “actually defending them?”

“Yes, because I’m secretly rushing their frat,” Al deadpanned. “I’m just saying contempt prior to investigation is your go-to.”

“Yeah, and blind trust is yours.” Another explosion sounded. “I’m going to bed.” He rubbed his shoulder. Some days, for no reason at all, it just ached. “Don’t stay up too late.”

Al narrowed his eyes. “You hurting?

“I’m good. I promise.”

“I know if you’re lying, you know. It’s one of my superpowers. And you’re lying.”

“It’s not a big deal. It’s just a little achy.” If something was actually wrong, Al was usually the first person he asked; he had a strong grasp of the mechanical sometimes Al was able to work out simple issues without Ed having to go to the clinic. He hated going there; he’d been spoiled rotten by the Rockbell Institute, but they were a few hours’ train ride away and not convenient. “I’m good. I promise. Just need some sleep.”

“Take some Advil and don’t be a hero.”

Ed blew a raspberry and waved goodnight, but he swung by the bathroom to grab a few ibuprofen before bed. He didn’t always like letting Al win, but most of the time, he was so grateful to have him around that he’d let him a thousand times over. 

_**Roy** _

He woke up to a pounding headache and a mouth that tasted like he’d licked under a car engine. There was something making a terrible sound outside Roy’s window, waking him from a drunken sleep. He pushed himself up on the mattress, feeling a sharp pull between his shoulder blades and wondering what he’d done to hurt himself. Maybe it was the keg stand Havoc had convinced him to do last night? God, he needed to stop drinking so much.

He used the back of his wrist to rub at his crusty eyes, untangling himself from his sheets. The sound got louder and he moved closer to the window, pulling back the blackout curtains he’d bought for mornings just like this. “What the fuck,” he muttered. 

In the empty window box outside his window, which presumably had once held herbs or flowers or something else domestic, a small, black cat mewed miserably. It was pouring rain and the cat stared at him, its cries even more pathetic once they made eye contact. 

“Oh, look at you, tiny,” he said, undoing the latch on his window and opening it wide, letting in the rain. A silver tag glinted around its neck. He thought the cat might leap over the ledge into his room, but it looked like it was too startled to move, trembling in the box. Roy leaned forward and held out his hand for the cat to sniff. “I’m going to help you out, okay? Please don’t bite me, all right?”

The cat didn’t move when Roy picked it up and brought it inside, holding it close to his chest. Instead of trying to jump down, the cat seemed to appreciate the warmth and it didn’t move, keeping still in Roy’s arms. “Poor baby. It’s chilly out there. How the hell did you get up there?” 

Roy had always liked cats. His aunt kept a few in the bar at all times, partly to keep down rodents and partly because they made for good company. He shut the window and picked up a discarded Phi Tau Pi t-shirt from his desk chair, using it like a makeshift blanket for the cat. It weighed so little in Roy’s arms, maybe six or seven pounds, and as he lightly scratched its ears, it started to purr. 

“God, you are adorable,” he said, gently spinning the tag around its neck so he could read the engraving. 

He let out a laugh. “Elric, huh? First name, Meringue?” He scratched her ears, earning a deeper purr. “All right, _mon petite_ little cookie, we’ll get you back where you belong.” He held onto the cat with one arm while digging for a water bottle with the other and taking a long swig of the lukewarm contents. 

When he arrived downstairs in the kitchen, Hughes was already there, looking like death warmed over himself, a bottle of aspirin open before him. Gracia was tucked against his side at the counter, wearing one of Hughes’ shirts, and she gave a sleepy wave. Riza sat at the table, and even though Roy knew she’d had more to drink last night than he had, she sipped coffee and flicked through the news on her phone looking fresh, not a hair out of place. “Nice cat,” Riza said.

“Thanks.” Roy dry-swallowed a few aspirin and looked down at the full coffee cup in front of Hughes. “Is he awake?” 

Hughes had his head down on the table and Gracia smoothed a hand over his hair. “I think he’s out.”

Roy picked up the coffee and took a drink. God, how could Hughes take it black? “Shit, that’s strong. Riza, this your doing?”

She shrugged. “Who else would be up before the rest of you?” She sniffed the air. “Damn, you stink.”

“Stink like what?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Wet cat.” She stood and reached out her hand towards Meringue. “Whose cat is that?”

“Oh. It’s the Elrics’ cat.”

“Who the hell are the Elrics?”

Hughes snorted, blinking awake and sitting up. “They live back there.” He flung an arm in the direction of the backyard. Hughes adjusted his glasses. “You stole their cat? That little one is going to be pissed.”

“I didn’t steal their cat! I wouldn’t steal an animal, Maes. That’s terrible.” Roy put a hand over Meringue’s head protectively. “She was in my window box this morning in a pool of water, crying her head off. She must have gotten out of their house and got stuck.”

Hughes reached for his coffee, which wasn’t there anymore, and gave Roy a grim look when he realized he’d taken it. “You shouldn’t go over there. That guy hates you.”

“He won’t hate me once I hand-deliver his cat.”

Hughes staggered upright. “Oh, my God.” He started laughing to himself as he poured himself another cup of coffee. “Roy Goddamn Mustang. Please tell me you’re just hungover.”

Roy shot him daggers. “What are you on about?”

Hughes downed a drag of coffee. “Shit, that’s strong.” He started laughing again. “You know what I’m on about. You. You want that guy to like you.”

“Who?”

“That feral blond one. With the automail.”

Roy sighed. “I’m returning a cat to its owner. Don’t make this into a whole thing.”

“You can’t stand it when someone you’re hot for doesn’t like you. It makes you crazy,” Hughes said, returning to Gracia’s side.

“I’m not hot for him! He told me to fuck off last night.” 

“Remember that MBA student?” Gracia snapped her fingers. “God, what was his name? He just ignored you and it made you bonkers.”

Riza snickered from behind her phone. “You’ve always been like that, Mustang. Don’t pretend.”

He did not need this kind of negativity in his life. “It is kind of early in the hangover to come at me, don’t you think?” 

Riza checked her watch. “Nope. Right on time.”

“You know what? Meringue and I don’t need you. We’re going to get her back home where she belongs.”

Gracia gestured at Roy’s pajama pants. “You’re going over there like that?”

 _Fuck_. 

Fifteen minutes later, freshly showered and with a mouth tasting like mint instead of diesel, Roy trekked across the lawn with an umbrella and cat in tow. The house looked a little worse close-up. The siding was in need of repair and the roof over the porch sagged. He didn’t know much about the Elrics other than what Al had reported to Armstrong: he needed a part-time job to help pay bills because his scholarships weren’t enough. He’d done a little sleuthing in the school’s records to make sure Al’s grades were as good as he said. The guy was a certifiable genius--his test scores were top of the charts--but he’d been adjudicated, so clearly there were no guardians. Roy hadn’t factored on the brother. 

Or that the brother would be so goddamn hot.

Roy rang the bell, keeping Meringue tucked inside his zip-up to protect her from the weather. The door opened, revealing a scowling Edward. He’d looked him up on social media to find out his name last night, and though Edward didn’t have accounts, Al did. “What do you want?” he said, voice low. 

His voice did something to Roy’s pulse, but he took a breath and put on a smile. “Hey, you’re Edward, right?” 

“It’s Ed.”

“Right. Ed. Sorry to bother you. I hope things last night weren’t too crazy.”

Ed shot him a withering glance. “If that’s your idea of an apology, you suck at it.” He gave the door a shove. “Fuck off.”

“Wait!” Roy flung out an arm and didn’t pull it back in time before the door slammed shut on his hand. “Ow! Shit!” He managed to keep a hold of Meringue but the howls of pain he made were downright embarrassing. 

“Oh, my God!” Ed whipped the door open, eyes wide. “Oh, shit, I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt you! Fuck, are you okay?”

Roy pulled back his hand, hissing between his teeth. “Dammit.” God, that hurt. The skin was broken and he could see a vivid line of red where the door had collided with his hand. 

“Here, come in, I’ll get you some ice.” Ed reached for Roy’s shoulder, drawing him inside. “Dude, I’m really, really sorry.”

Roy tucked his wounded hand against his chest, and Meringue poked her head out of his jacket. “Um, I found your cat.”

Ed’s expression lost every bit of its annoyance, instead flooding with relief. “Mer! We’ve been looking for her everywhere!” The cat leapt from Roy’s arms onto Ed’s shoulder, nuzzling against his chin. “Our back window is broken and she must have gotten out. We never let her outside. Al’s out looking for her right now! Where did you find her?”

“She was yowling in my window box this morning. Poor thing was sitting in three inches of water. She’s probably starving.”

Ed looked back at Roy. When Ed was angry, he was hot in a righteous indignation kind of way, golden eyes flashing and muscles tight, but when he was taken aback, stripped of his fury, all that remained was just beautiful. His hair hung down around his face, unbraided, and his breathing was just a little fast, with just a hint of his muscular chest underneath his shirt. He was so pretty that Roy almost forgot about his throbbing hand. “Thank you,” Ed said softly. “She means a lot. To Al and me.”

“Of course.” As gorgeous as Ed was, it couldn’t stem the surge of pain that went through Roy’s palm and he winced in spite of himself. 

“Shit! Your hand.” Ed gently set Meringue on the floor and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. “Here, come over and sit at the table.” Roy sat, looking down at his palm. He’d broken his hand before and this didn’t feel like that. “Keep the ice on it.”

Roy hissed as he put the cold pack on his hand. “Ow. Thank you.”

“I really wasn’t trying to hurt you,” Ed said, pausing as he sank into the chair across from him. “I was completely rude but I wouldn’t have slammed the door on your hand on purpose.”

“I know,” Roy said, even though he didn’t actually. He lifted up the ice pack to readjust it and Ed made a strained sound. 

“You’re bleeding. Hold on. I’ll be right back.”

“It’s not that--” Roy tried to say, but Ed was already racing from the room. He looked down at Meringue, who was making quick work of her bowl of dry food. “No good deed goes unpunished, eh, Mer?”

Moments later, Ed reappeared, an ancient-looking metal first aid case in his hands. “I, ah, texted Al. He’ll be right back. He’s pre-med and he’s good with anything involving blood. I mean, it doesn’t bother me much, but he’s better than I am with this kind of thing.” Ed tugged on his hair, flipping it behind his shoulder. “Anyway, I’m sorry. Especially after you found Mer.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “God, I hate when Al is right.”

“Right about what?”

“Nothing.”

Roy looked around the kitchen. It was small and like the rest of the house, outdated, but it was cozy, with a red teakettle on the stove and curtains that looked new over the window. Some orange prescription bottles sat on the counter by the sink. Roy wondered which one of the brothers they were for. “Your house is nice.”

Ed scoffed. “It’s halfway falling down. We’re trying to make it better, though.” 

“It’s you and your brother here, yeah?” Roy flexed his fingers under the cold pack, hissing a little.

“Yeah. Al and me. That’s how it’s always been.” Ed glanced at Roy’s injury, lips pursed. “How’s the hand?”

“Hurts like fuck. But I’m pretty sure nothing’s broken.” Roy gestured with his good hand at the cold pack. “This is really helping, though.”

“Oh, good.” Ed started putting a messy braid into his hair and Roy couldn’t stop watching how deftly his flesh and automail fingers worked together.

“Are you two, like, twins or something?”

“Nah. I’m a year older, but I waited to start college with Al. It was just… easier.” 

“Right. What do you, uh, major in?” Roy asked.

“Engineering. Concentrating in biomechanics.” 

“That makes sense.”

Ed’s expression tightened. “What, because of this?” he said sharply, holding up his automail hand.

Shit. “Wow, that came out wrong. No, I meant because your brother’s pre-med, and I figured you were probably smart too, so,” Roy shook his head, digging the hole deeper. For someone who drank as much as he did, he really hated being hungover. “Forget I said anything.”

Ed opened his mouth to reply but the door flung open and Al came in, a massive grin on his face. “Where is she?” He dropped to his knees as Mer streaked across the kitchen floor to bury herself against Al’s hands, purring loud enough for Roy to hear it. “Oh, my little bean. My poor bean caught in a rainstorm.” Al looked up from Mer’s fur. “Thank you so much for finding her!”

Roy shrugged. “She pretty much found me. But you’re very welcome. She’s a sweet cat.”

He’d never met Al before in person; he usually had Armstrong meet with his new recruits for their interviews while Hughes managed the assignments and payments. Al didn’t know technically that Roy was his boss. Al pushed himself up. He could see the family resemblance between Ed and Al in the blonde hair, the quirked smiles, and the graceful way they both moved, but where Ed was compact and muscular, Al was tall and skinny, like he was still growing into his body. Al’s face fell when he saw Roy’s hand. “Oh, no! She didn’t do anything to you, did she?” 

“No! Nothing like that. I, uh, caught my hand in the door.”

“Let me see if I can help.” Al’s hands were gentle as he lifted the ice pack. “Can you move your fingers? Good. It doesn’t look like it’s bleeding much. I can clean it up for you.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

“So you’re from the frat house,” Al chatted amicably as he disinfected the cut. “What’s your name?”

“Mustang. Roy Mustang.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Al. Sorry that my brother is such a killjoy. I hear he gave you an earful. He doesn’t like parties.”

Ed grunted. “No one likes parties.”

“Or noise. Or, you know, people.”

“Al! Who’s side are you on, anyway?” Ed crossed his arms over his chest and the sulk he wore only made him look more attractive. “I like people fine. Certain people.”

Al shook his head, taping a bit of gauze over the shallow cut on Roy’s palm. There was no question the guy was going into the right field. He made a mental note to up Al’s payment rate going forward. “There you go. You should definitely keep icing it to keep the swelling down.”

“I will. Thanks, man.” He pushed himself out from the table with his good hand. “I’ll, uh, head back. But glad you got your cat back.”

“I’m going to make some eggs, you want any before you go?” Al asked.

“Nah, I’ve taken up too much of your hospitality already.” He couldn’t help himself and he winked at Ed, who, to Roy’s surprise, flushed. Interesting. “Since I know one of you doesn’t like parties, we’re having a thing, not an official party, but a smaller gathering this coming Friday night. It’d be cool if you could come. You know, like, neighborly.”

Al nodded. “Thanks for the invite! Sounds good.”

“All right. See you then.” Roy gave Ed a nod. “What do you like to drink?”

Ed’s gaze was cool, the blush gone. “Water.”

“Perfect. I’ll get a case.”

_**Ed** _

Ed stood in front of the mirror behind his door, glaring at his reflection. The mirror was slightly warped, so he looked a little taller and a little more spindly than he was in reality, which annoyed him on both counts. He wasn’t in the mood for a party. Or a gathering. Or anything remotely social. Al, though, was so excited about the idea of going to anything college-related that Ed felt bad shitting on the idea. His brother was still a little starry-eyed about the idea of university. He loved all of it: the classes, the learning, the professors, the pace of college life. He was truly in his element, open-hearted and ready to have his mind filled with new ideas. It all just felt like another hoop to Ed, another way he had to prove himself, another series of tests to show that he was worthy of something. And parties, well, they were like a social version of the SATs.

He would have blown it off entirely if not for two things: disappointing Al and seeing Mustang. 

The stupid fucker had shown up in his goddamn _dreams_ earlier in the week and he woke up hard and super pissed. So Mustang wasn’t the embodiment of evil--he saved Mer--but even villains had soft spots for pets. God, having a sex dream about a _frat boy_. Worse, as he discovered this week, the fraternity president. Who was a business major of all things. It was just plain embarrassing. He tried on one shirt and rejected it, yanking it over his head. What was the fucking difference what shirt he wore? He dug out a short-sleeve black t-shirt, threaded a leather belt through his dark jeans, and threw his hair into a ponytail. Good enough. 

He stalked out into the hall and nearly ran into Al, who looked like sunshine in comparison to Ed’s dark cloud, dressed in a white button-down rolled up at the elbows. “You ready?”

“I can’t believe you’re dragging me to this thing.”

“Dragging. Okay. As if I’ve ever been able to talk you into anything in your entire life.” Al hooked an arm around Ed’s shoulders, grinning, and Ed let Al push him towards the stairs. “Admit it. You deserve a fun night. All you do is work and worry about me. Which you don’t need to, by the way.”

“You’re my little brother. It’s my job to worry about you.”

Al stifled a laugh. “I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around. On both counts.”

“Can we please go get this over with?” Ed growled.

“After you.”

The small gathering, as it were, was nothing even close. At least fifty people mingled in the spacious adjoining yard to their property, some of them swaying to music and some relaxing around a fire pit. Dusk had settled over the evening, lending a long-shadowed filter to the world that softened all its edges. Twinkle lights hung from the trees and citronella candle smoke floated in the air, trying to keep away the late-season mosquitoes. Sitting at a picnic table in the center of it all was Mustang, like a king holding court. He was telling a story as they approached and as he came to the punchline, everyone at the table roared a laugh. Ed recognized the one with the glasses but he didn’t see the cigarette guy; maybe he was on the front porch again.

“Hey.” Mustang stood. “Glad you could make it. This is Ed and Al Elric. They’re at AU, too.”

Al struck up a conversation immediately with the group, which was his brand, and Ed made a beeline for the drink table, fishing in the ice bucket for a bottle of water. He looked around at the crowd, saw the cars parked in front of the house. These people had money. Their parents owned companies and yachts. Their dads hadn’t committed crimes against the state, or at least if they had, they hadn’t gotten caught. Ed took a long drink from his water bottle, leaning against a tree and watching as the last bit of sunlight slipped from over the rooftops. This wasn’t his crowd, but hearing Al’s laugh was reason enough for him to stick it out for awhile. He’d spent so long in the hospital and rehab--they both had--that he never got to have the typical adolescence that he deserved. 

Ed saw someone coming towards him and he tensed when he realized it was Mustang. Of course it was. He walked with the confidence of someone who he knew he looked good: hair perfectly mussed, dark jeans, new sneakers. Mustang gave him a half-smile. “You weren’t kidding about the water.”

“Nope.” Ed took another sip. “I wasn’t.”

Mustang took the spot beside him, leaning back against the towering oak. “Your brother’s really funny.”

“Oh, I know.” 

Silence hung in the air between them and Mustang shifted, brushing something off one of his sneakers that Ed swore wasn’t there. “You having fun?”

Ed snorted. “Nope.”

“That’s a shame,” Mustang said. 

“Is it?” Ed shrugged. “This isn’t my scene.”

“Ah. So you have a scene. What does that look like?”

“Not a fucking frat house.”

Mustang laughed. “So Greek life in particular annoys you?”

“Not so much Greek life, but like, life in general.” Ed finished the bottle of water and chewed on the bottle for a moment. “How’s your hand?”

Mustang held up his palm, which still had a band-aid across the center. “Much better. And your brother kept me from getting some kind of septic wasting illness so that worked out in my favor, too.”

The bottle crunched in Ed’s flesh hand. “Oh. Well, good.”

“It’s a shame the bruises are going away,” Mustang said. “I was hoping to guilt trip you into having a drink with me.”

Ed narrowed his gaze at him even as his heart rate picked up. “Fun fact: there’s only one person on earth who can guilt trip me and it’s not you.”

“Fair enough.” Mustang sipped at the bottle in his hand. He looked especially gorgeous in the failing light. “Maybe I don’t need to guilt trip you.”

“I already told you,” Ed said coolly. “I don’t drink.”

“I should take a page out of your book. I do dumb shit when I drink.” Mustang tipped back another swallow and the hairs on the back of Ed’s neck raised when he thought about how that mouth might feel elsewhere. “Like shamelessly flirting with hot neighbors.”

Ed couldn’t help the little laugh that came out of him. “You’re the frat president. I kind of thought you’d be a little smoother.”

Mustang put a hand over his heart. “You’re so gorgeous that it’s throwing off my game, Elric.” 

Well, shit. Ed shifted against the tree to face Mustang. “What are you really doing over here? There’s a hundred people here and you’re wasting your time talking with me.”

It was a strange thing to see a bit of Mustang’s bravado drop. “The first time we met you were pissed at me, and the second time I was bleeding. I thought maybe the third time was the charm.”

Ed rocked his hand from side to side. “That was a little better.”

Mustang’s smile was devastating. “I can do way more interesting things with my mouth than one-liners, I promise.”

“Yeah? Prove it.”

Mustang leaned forward into Ed’s space, reaching out a hand to curl around the back of Ed’s neck. His fingers were warm and surprisingly gentle. “You are seriously fucking pretty.” 

“Shut up, Mustang,” Ed said. He kissed him hard, opening his mouth and tasting the bittersweet flavor of Mustang’s drink on his tongue. Mustang followed Ed’s lead, his other hand chasing over Ed’s chest as Ed pulled him closer. When Ed’s automail hand slipped up the back of Mustang’s shirt, he didn’t flinch, instead rocking his hips forward to give Ed better access. The darkness made Ed feel bolder. The heat of Mustang’s mouth was stunning and when he let out a soft, needy sound against Ed, it sent fire straight through him. 

As first kisses went, Ed hadn’t had better. 

Ed finally broke it off, pulling back, glad to see that Mustang was panting. “I can’t say that was disappointing,” Ed said, licking the taste of Mustang’s mouth at the corner of his lips. 

“You seem kinda bossy,” Mustang said. “I like that.”

Ed grinned. “Good.” His hand was still pressed against the base of Roy’s spine. “I feel like I’m in the mood to break my own rules tonight.”

“Oh, yeah?” Mustang said, arching a perfect eyebrow. “Which ones?”

Ed brought his hand down to squeeze over Roy’s hip. “I’ll have a drink with you.”

_**Roy** _

There weren’t many quiet places in Phi Tau Pi house, as large as it was, but one perk to being fraternity president was getting his own space. Ed followed him up the stairs, swaying as he went, and Roy took his elbow, steadying him. Some of his hair had fallen out of his ponytail, landing artfully around his face, highlighting his cheekbones in gold. 

Ed laughed. “You get the penthouse? This is a lot of stairs.”

Roy helped him up the last few. “It’s not a penthouse.”

“This is a fucking mansion, though.”

Roy didn’t argue with him. It actually was. Phi Tau Pi had a lot of money. They crossed the threshold into Roy’s room and Ed, in a surprising display of coordination, leapt into Roy’s arms and latched onto Roy’s neck, mouthing at his skin greedily. 

“You’re pretty strong,” Ed said, wrapping his legs around Roy’s hips. 

“You’re pretty drunk,” Roy said, unprepared to hold Ed’s unexpected weight for much longer and staggering back towards the bed, landing on the edge. “You only had a couple of drinks.”

Ed kept mouthing over his collarbone. “It’s the automail.”

Roy smoothed a hand down Ed’s spine. “I don’t get it.”

“Al can explain it. I don’t have enough blood.” Ed said, dissolving into laughter. “Where’s Al?”

“He’s downstairs, talking to Riza.” The two of them had been thick as thieves since Hughes had introduced them. “You want me to go get him?”

“No.” Ed clutched around Roy tighter. “I wanna stay here with you.”

“That’s fine,” Roy said, reaching out to his bedside table and grabbing an unopened bottle of water. It made sense. If Ed had two metal limbs, he was bound to get wasted a lot faster, especially since he didn’t usually drink. “You need some water.”

Ed took a quick pull from the bottle, spilling a little on both of them. “Oops.” He gave a half-smile. “You’re a pretty boy, Roy.” The way Ed said his name gave him goosebumps. “Do you know how good I could make you feel? You could be so good for me. You wanna be good for me?”

Fuck, the way Ed talked was heady. Roy held his breath for a long moment. Maybe Ed was just babbling. He hoped so. 

Instead, Ed let out a disappointed noise. “Why aren’t you kissing me?”

“Because you’re drunk.”

Ed frowned. “But I want you to. You’re so hot and I want you.” 

Roy had made his fair share of bad choices in his lifetime, but making out and fucking around with people when they were wasted wasn’t one of them. He helped Ed lie down on the bed, petting his hand through the loose hair around his face. “I will. Later, if you want. Just not right now.”

“That’s garbage,” Ed said, pushing himself up with one arm.

“Wait. Where are you going?”

Ed staggered upright, pointing at the door. “I’m going home. This is stupid. I’m stupid. I shouldn't have.” He took a step forward and then went white. “Oh shit, I’m gonna--”

Roy was across the room with a trash can in hand in seconds, making it just in time for Ed to hurl into the bin. It was awful to see and hear, but it wasn’t anything Roy wasn’t used to after a few years in the fraternity.

Ed shuddered, shaking in Roy’s arms. There was nothing about Ed that suggested frailty, but somehow in that moment, there was a vulnerability about him that made Roy’s chest tighten. “Shit,” he said, and succumbed to another round.

“You’re okay. You’re okay. I’m going to help you, all right?” Roy waited until Ed’s stomach quieted before he got him to his feet and assisted him across the room into the ensuite bathroom, settling him on the soft bath mat by the toilet. “I’m going to get your water, all right?”

Ed let out a pained groan. His eyes were wet and his expression was miserable. “Don’t leave.”

“I’ll be right back.” 

Roy brought the water and eased himself to the floor, sitting beside Ed. “Here. Little sips.”

“Oh, my God.” Ed leaned forward on the rim of the toilet. “So stupid.”

“You’re not.” He reached out, giving Ed’s automail ankle, the closest bit of Ed to him, a squeeze. 

Ed glanced up, alarm in his expression. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, sorry.” Roy lifted his hand. “I was trying to be, you know, comforting?” 

“It doesn’t freak you out?”

“What?”

Ed frowned. “The automail.”

Roy hated seeing the tightness in his face. “No.”

Ed was silent for a long moment, breathing hard as he clung to the bowl. “Why are you still here?”

“Cause you’re sick. Also, we’re in my bathroom.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Ed grimaced. “How are you not an asshole?”

Roy let out a rough laugh. “I am an asshole sometimes.”

Another round of tremors shook Ed’s body and he lost whatever was left in his system. “Fuck.” Under the low bathroom light, Ed looked as pale as the tiles, sweat dotting his skin. 

Roy dabbed at his forehead with a hand towel. “I’m going to text your brother. Where’s your phone?”

Ed whined. “No. He’ll be upset.”

“I’m pretty sure he’ll be more upset if I don’t.” Roy dug in Ed’s pocket, pulling out his phone and pressing Ed’s thumb over the button to open it. 

There were only a few numbers in Ed’s phone: Al, Dr. Rockbell, and Winry. “Do you only know three people?”

Ed moaned, cradling his head. “I take it back. You’re an asshole.” 

Roy fired off a text to Al and coaxed Ed to drink another mouthful of water. “I’m sorry,” he said, brushing Ed’s sweaty hair back from his forehead. “If I’d known how hard it would hit you, I never would have offered you a drink.”

“I could have said no,” Ed said, voice soft. “You don’t have to stay. Al’ll be here soon.”

Roy scoffed. “You think I’d leave you on the floor like this?”

Ed’s eyes closed. “I don’t know you very well.”

“That’s valid.” Roy went back to rubbing his thumb against Ed’s ankle. “But I wouldn’t.”

Ed hitched a breath, eyes opening slightly. “What are you, the frat boy with a heart of gold?”

“Fuck, no.” Roy tilted his head to meet Ed’s gaze. “Just one that’s into you.”

“Ew,” Ed said, holding a hand over his stomach. “Don’t try to be charming. It’s gross.”

“Don’t lie. You like it.” He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and called out, “We’re in here.”

Al came around the corner. “What happened?”

“He had a little too much and it didn’t agree with him.”

Al waved him away, gesturing Roy towards the wall as he reached for Ed’s flesh wrist, feeling his pulse. “Ed. Ed, you okay?”

“I told you he’d be pissed,” Ed said, followed by a low groan. “I’m okay, Al.”

“You’re not supposed to drink. What the hell?” Al spun on Roy. “What did you do?”

“He didn’t do anything. Calm down,” Ed said. “I did it to myself. Not Roy’s fault.”

Al shook his head. “We need to get you home.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Roy said, but Al shot him a cold look.

“I don’t need your help.”

“Al.” Ed said, head lolling as Al levered him upright. “Let him help.”

They made a strange procession down the stairs and out across the lawn, and Roy was pretty sure Ed passed out at some point between the cottage’s backyard and front door. One of his arms was around Al’s neck and the other was around Roy’s, and they carried him inside, getting him to the couch. “I didn’t know about the drinking thing. I swear.”

Al let out a groan as they placed Ed on the couch, making sure to keep his head up. “Go get some water from the kitchen,” he said sharply.

Roy did, filling a few glasses from the tap, which leaked no matter how Roy tried to shut it off. “Here,” he said, setting them on the coffee table. Ed stirred slightly and Al spoke softly to him, saying things Roy couldn’t hear. 

“Is he going to be okay?”

“He’ll be all right. He needs some fluids and rest.” Al gave Roy a long look. “You can go back to your party.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the party,” Roy said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “What can I do?”

“You need to go home, Roy. Leave him be. I’ve got him.”

“But I--”

“Seriously. I don’t think you’re a bad guy, okay?” Al suddenly looked exhausted. “Ed doesn’t usually drop his guard like this and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t take advantage.”

“I’m not,” Roy said, feeling defensive. “I didn’t--”

“He likes you, dumbass. You think he wants to be throwing up and shaking in front of you? I promise he doesn’t. Go home.” Al shrugged. “You want to be the good guy? Come back tomorrow with some Pedialyte and some saltines or something.”

“Fine. I will.” 

Al gave him an incredulous look. “Yeah. Sure.” 

_**Ed** _

Everything felt bad. His head, his throat, his stomach, even his automail, if that was possible. Sometime in the middle of the night Al had helped him to bed, even though he couldn't remember coming home. 

There had been kissing, he knew that. Roy was even better at it than he’d anticipated. Then there had been alcohol. His mouth tasted like bile, so clearly some throwing up had happened, too. He staggered up, dragging himself to the bathroom to pee. Clearly Al had made sure he had enough water to keep a fish tank going. He brushed his teeth, trying to lose the sour taste in his mouth, and then crawled back to bed. A note from Al in Sharpie block letters was by the bed. 

TAKE 1 PILL WHEN YOU WAKE UP

DRINK MORE WATER

He smiled faintly. No one had ever cared for him as much as Al did, or more fiercely. He swallowed the pill and sipped some water, pulling the covers back up. His phone buzzed on the nightstand and he frowned. Who would be texting him?

There were five texts waiting.

_I hope you’re okay. Al sent me home._

_I didn’t want to leave but he was kind of insistent._

_I hope this doesn’t wake you up. I’m just a little worried._

_I guess by now you figured out this is Roy. I got your number when you gave me your phone._

_Is that weird? If so, sorry. Also, can you text me to let me know if you’re okay? Like even an emoji of like a truck or something?_

Ed scrolled through the emojis until he found the truck and sent it off. 

His phone rang thirty seconds later.

“Hello?” he croaked. 

“Hey! How are you feeling?”

Ed groaned. “Like shit.”

“Sorry.”

“God, are you a phone person?” Ed said, closing his eyes against the dim light in his room. 

“I mean,” Roy said.

“You are, aren’t you.” Ed let out a long sigh. “That’s annoying.”

“You want me to text you instead?”

“No. My brain is broken. No typing.”

“Hmm. Can I just come over?”

Ed barked a short laugh. “And do what? I’m not fucking you right now, if that’s what you think.”

“No!” Roy said, and then quickly added, “I mean, I’m looking forward to that at some point, not right now, obviously. I just meant I could bring you some Gatorade and like, I don’t know, keep you company.”

Ed stared at his phone. Who the hell was this guy? “You’re going to come over and just lay here in bed with me while I enjoy the hell that is my hangover?”

“I mean, if you want me to.”

Normally Ed didn’t want anyone around if he didn’t feel well, except maybe Al. But he thought about Roy and how good he smelled, and how nice his arms were, and that maybe it wouldn’t be awful, just for a little while, to have him here. “Okay.”

“Okay. Be right there.”

He must have dozed off for a few minutes because when he opened his eyes, there was someone tapping at his door. Al poked his head around, his expression unreadable. “Ed. Roy’s here. Do you want him to come in?”

“Yeah. S’fine.” Ed looked up and saw Roy approaching the side of his bed, a lemon Gatorade in his hand and a sleeve of saltines in the other. 

“You doing all right? I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You came.”

“Of course I did.” He lifted both of his offerings. “You want anything?”

“Mmm, not right now.” Ed scooted over, making room for Roy on the bed. He smelled like coffee and whatever sort of cedar man-smell deodorant that he wore. “I didn’t get a shower. You might not want to get too close.”

“It’s okay.” Roy lay down next to him, reaching out and linking their index fingers together. “I live in a frat house. You smell ten times better than anything in the place, believe me.”

His hair fell across the pillow in an elegant black swoop, like a crow’s wing. “Roy.” His voice was wrecked. 

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing here?”

Roy’s eyes narrowed. They were a delicate shade of grey, like gunmetal or smoke. “I was worried about you.”

“I’m okay. Al made sure of it.” He plucked at Roy’s fingers. They were long and lightly calloused. The fucker probably played guitar. That seemed on brand. 

“I wanted to see you.”

It still didn’t make sense, even now that Ed’s brain wasn’t clouded with alcohol. “Why?” 

“I like you.”

Ed laughed softly. “Why?”

Roy leaned forward and kissed Ed’s temple. “I just really do.”

It was a lot to have Roy so close, to feel his lips on his skin. There was no reason that it should have felt as good as it did. “You just met me.”

“So?” Roy drew nearer, pressing a kiss this time to Ed’s forehead. “You just met me.” He let out a soft laugh, almost like he was nervous. Roy didn’t seem like someone who showed his nerves easily. “You should ask me something.”

“Ask you what?”

“Anything you want.” Roy shrugged. “I’m an open book.”

Ed stared at the gorgeous man lying across from him, looking refined even in an AU t-shirt and a pair of joggers with red stripes down the side. “Why the fuck did you join a frat?”

Roy let out a full-throated laugh. “You can ask me anything and that’s what you want to know?”

“I just want to understand your terrible taste.”

“Hey now,” Roy said, smiling. “Haven’t you ever done something because Al wanted you to?”

What decision on some level hadn’t been for Al? “I mean, yeah.”

“Hughes is kind of like my Al.” When Ed looked confused, Roy supplied, “The guy with the glasses. We were roommates first year and we just bonded. He wanted to rush, so I went along with him. I didn’t realize it was going to be a whole thing. Then of course he supported me becoming president, and well, yeah.” Roy rubbed at his eyes. “I didn’t really fit, like, anywhere for most of my life, you know? As weird as it sounds, I belong there. They’re good people.” He paused. “But I joined for Hughes. Everything else just came after.”

That wasn’t what Ed expected. “That’s,” he said, “surprising.”

“I’m full of them,” Roy said, his grin mischievous. “Okay. It’s my turn. I get to ask you one now.”

Ed lifted his chin. “Is that how this works?”

“It’s only fair.” Roy tapped the pillow. “Hmm. Well. I need to ask the obvious question first.” Ed flexed his automail hand, feeling his chest tighten. Everyone always wanted to know about how he got his artificial limbs, as if they were privy to his story, to Al’s story. “So. Are you single?”

Ed’s breath left in a rush. “That’s the obvious question?”

“Yes, it’s an obvious question. So?”

Fuck, this was not how he expected to spend his hangover. He rolled over a little and buried his face in his pillow. “Yes.”

“Good. Me too.”

Ed opened one eye. “The frat president is single?”

“Lucky for you.”

“This,” Ed said, “is not the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had, but it’s close.” Roy moved closer and the only word Ed could think of to describe the move was snuggling. “So not only are you a phone person, you’re, what is this, cuddly?”

“It’s fucking freezing in here. Doesn’t your heat work?” Roy said, wrapping an arm loosely around Ed’s waist. 

“Not really. The repair company had to special order parts. It’s a work in progress.” There wasn’t anywhere for Ed’s head to go except for against Roy’s chest. It was warm and solid and nicely muscled, moving with Roy’s gentle breaths, and the weight of Roy’s forearm over his hip sunk some kind of calm into his blood. “Damn. You’re like a furnace.”

Roy fucking nuzzled against him, but it felt so good that Ed couldn’t help but relax into it. “Yeah, I run a little hot.”

“Huh. I’m the opposite.”

Roy’s body shook with his chuckle. “I noticed. See, you need me around after all.”

Ed’s cheeks flared and he tried to change the subject. “Okay. It’s my turn. Here’s your question: what’s something about you that people wouldn’t expect?”

He felt Roy’s pulse pick up a few beats. “I mean, to be fair, there’s a lot. People think I’m rich, which isn’t true at all. I guess maybe growing up in a bar. My aunt raised me. So I kind of come by ridiculous alcohol tolerance honestly. Also my love of salted peanuts in little dishes. I don’t have a family besides her, so I didn’t have a traditional childhood, if that makes sense.”

His entire picture of Roy, all the flash and entitlement, dissipated. “Yeah.” Ed held it together long enough to answer. “It does.”

It was quiet in the room for awhile, just their breathing and the heater’s rumbling attempts to warm the air. Roy’s thumb rubbed a gentle circle over Ed’s hip, just enough to let him know that he was there. After a few minutes, Roy asked quietly, “Do you want to sleep?”

Ed shook his head. “No.”

“Can I ask you another question?”

A faint smile appeared on Ed’s face. “All right.”

“Is it cool if I sleep?” Roy asked sheepishly. “I was kind of worried about you last night and I, like, didn’t really.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Ed pushed a little closer, finding a more comfortable position for his limbs against Roy’s. 

Roy fell asleep so fast that it was almost comical. His breathing evened out and the muffled thump of his heartbeat slowed against Ed’s ear. He wanted to think about what this meant, like what the fuck Roy was even here for, about how strange it was that he’d know what Roy looked like while he was sleeping when all he’d done with him was argue and make out. His logical brain wanted to understand what was happening, but Roy’s sleeping aura was strong enough that it pulled Ed’s consciousness down, dragging him back into dreams. 

_**Roy** _

Hughes snapped his fingers in front of Roy. “Hey. You in there?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Sorry.” 

Taking a long drag from his coffee, Hughes swallowed and laughed. “God, you’ve got it so bad.” 

“Oh, yeah, you’re one to talk.” Roy pushed up an invisible pair of glasses, doing his best Hughes impression. “Did I tell you what Gracia said in class yesterday? Look at this picture of Gracia that I took in the dining commons. Also, did I mention Gracia? And Gracia Gracia Gracia?”

Hughes just grinned. “Guilty as charged.” He spun Roy’s phone around, seeing the long list of text notifications from Ed. “Oh. I got you something. Here you go.”

Roy’s phone buzzed and an image appeared on his screen: a candid shot from last weekend at Phi Tau Pi house. Lights were strung up in the house for the upcoming holiday and Hughes had captured a picture of him and Ed laughing over some stupid joke. Their cheeks were a little flushed and Ed’s hair was down, shining gold over his shoulders, as they leaned against each other. 

“Hughes.” Roy felt his breath catch looking at the picture, quickly saving it as his background. “This is a great shot.”

“I know,” Hughes said, swirling his coffee like it was a glass of wine. “You should see the one I got of Al. I showed Riza and she hit my arm so hard she left a bruise.” He tipped his head. “Mark my words, those two are next.”

“God, stop playing matchmaker.”

Hughes blew a raspberry. “You think I wasn’t the night I introduced you two?”

“Ed came over to yell at me about the noise. You didn’t matchmake a goddamn thing.”

“Um, yes, I fucking did. You think Havoc couldn’t have just moved him off the porch on his own? When’s the last time you handled a problem that I could have dealt with myself? The answer is: you can’t remember.” Roy opened his mouth and then shut it. “Look. I just had a feeling, that’s all.”

Roy flung his paper coffee shield at Hughes. “Stop acting like you’re some puppet master for us all.”

Hughes laughed. “Remind me to tell you about how I made you frat president some time.”

_“Hughes.”_

_**Ed** _

“It’s,” Roy said, checking his watch, “12:29am on Saturday and let it be known that Edward Elric actually enjoyed himself at a gathering of people, also colloquially known as a party.” 

“Shut up,” Ed said, shoving Roy playfully back against the headboard. “I’m not agoraphobic. It turns out you don’t have the worst taste in friends, that’s all.” 

“Ah, I don’t have the worst taste.” Roy tugged his t-shirt over his head, a ridiculous grin on his face. “Tell me something else you like about me.”

He tried and failed to keep a straight face. “You have a massive praise kink, you know that, right?”

Roy reached out, pulling him close enough to mouth at Ed’s throat. “Yes.” His breath was hot over Ed’s skin. “You gonna indulge me? I’ll make it worth your while.”

“God, you’re a mess.” Ed tapped Roy’s shoulder. “Why don’t you lie back, baby, so I can admire you properly?”

He’d never seen Roy move so fast. Roy’s bed in his penthouse-that-wasn’t was bigger than Ed’s and the sheets always smelled fresh. The room was rather sparsely decorated, though clean, and in the corner, as Ed had suspected, was an acoustic guitar case. Roy only knew four chords but he did fancy himself a decent musician. In his brief month-long education on the fraternity system, Ed was quite sure one of the newest members actually did Roy’s laundry. It was a bizarre arrangement, but since Ed was benefiting from it, he didn’t comment. 

Ed drew a knee in between Roy’s thighs, leaning forward over his body until he pressed a kiss over Roy’s collarbone. “Look at you. Such a good boy for me.”

Roy got goddamn goosebumps and it was delicious to watch. “Shit, Ed,” he breathed.

“I love when you’re like this. Just waiting for me to make you feel amazing.” Ed ghosted kisses along his jaw. “You play host all night but now you’re hanging on my every word.”

Roy melted into his kiss, one of his hands sliding up behind Ed’s hair and the other tightening against Ed’s hip. His skin felt like fire to Ed’s automail and Ed grinned against his mouth, breathing in his air. He rocked his hips forward, drawing a groan out of Roy. “My pretty frat boy.”

Roy shuddered beneath him. “Your pretty frat president.”

Ed laughed, squeezing his thighs around Roy’s. “You have a thing for titles.”

“Mmm. You have a thing for control.”

“You’re not wrong about that.” He kissed him again, long and filthy. “Remember how the first time we met, I complained that you were too loud?”

Roy nodded, his bottom lip already swollen from Ed’s attention. “Yeah, I do.”

Ed ran a hand down his chest, loving how fast Roy was breathing already. “I changed my mind. I officially rescind my objection.”

Roy’s hand cupped Ed’s ass, giving it a firm squeeze. “You like me loud, is that it?”

Ed dotted kisses over Roy’s shoulders. There wasn’t one part of the man that didn’t make Ed’s pulse race. “Some sounds of appreciation wouldn’t kill the mood.”

Roy laughed, pulling Ed closer against him. “You looking for a little praise, too, baby? You want me to tell you how much I want you? Because I really fucking do.”

“Oh, my god.” Ed tugged at Roy’s earlobe with his teeth. “You talk too much.”

Roy hummed against his skin. “Then shut me up already.”

Ed grinned, and did. 


End file.
